There are various ways you can become qualified as a teaching assistant.

• Apprenticeships You may be able to become a teaching assistant through an apprenticeship scheme. These can be very difficult to come by and involve on the job training.
• College Here you will be able to partake in a rage of fully recognised TA qualifications.  Courses can run both during the daytime and evenings and varies from college to college so it is important to ensure you can commit to those hours. Most courses take a minimum of 12 months to complete.
• Distance Learning Courses that you complete in your own time from the comfort of your home. These can be studied online or via course material posted to you.

Key points regarding distance learning courses:

• You must ensure the course you are undertaking will lead to a genuine RQF qualification
• Self motivation is key
• You can complete the course in your own time, so the more time you put in, the faster you finish allowing you to apply for jobs sooner.

We offer the full range of RQF Teaching Assistant qualifications. Again, read the guide to teaching assistant courses for a detailed breakdown of each qualification and to help identify which would be the best for you. Or simply speak to one of our advisors by telephone or live chat.

Technically you don’t require a qualification to work as a teaching assistant. The reality however is somewhat different as most schools will want you to have a recognised qualification on your CV. There will also be competition for job roles and it is more than likely there will be qualified people applying. It is imperative that you ensure that any qualification you undertake is actually recognised. Unfortunately there are many, especially online, that simply aren’t accepted by the vast majority of schools.

We highly recommend you have a read of our guide to teaching assistant courses where it will show you how you can check the legitimacy of any qualification from any provider.

The basic principle however is for a qualification to be recognised and accepted by schools it must be listed on the RQF (Regulated Qualification Framework).

A good standard of education is also beneficial with a number of schools preferring Grace C or above in English and Maths as Literacy and Numeracy are important components in the TA role.

Working as a teaching assistant will require a number of core skills and competencies:

• Maintaining a professional attitude
• Positivity. Very important to help motivate and inspire students
• Ability to work as a team and build relationships with students, staff and other  professionals you may come in contact with such as parents, speech therapists,  educational psychologists, social workers and carers.
• Patience! There will be challenges on a daily basis. Maintaining composure is essential.
• Most importantly, a love of working with children.

The role of a teaching assistant is to provide support to teachers and to help children get the most out of their educational and social development. A teaching assistant has increasingly become an integral part of the classroom environment. Teaching Assistants can be found in both primary and secondary schools with the actual responsibilities varying somewhat depending upon the age group, level of qualification and experience. The general principles however remain the same.

Some of the key responsibilities of a teaching assistant include:

• Providing support to children in Mathematics
• Listening to children read as well as reading to them
• Motivating and encouraging children so they remain focused on the task or activity they are engaged in
• Partaking in lunch time and break duties as well has helping supervise children on school trips and events
• Helping the teacher prepare the classroom for lessons, for example the materials and resources required.
• Assisting the teacher with the planning of learning activities and completion of records
• Taking care of children who are upset or hurt in an accident
• Supporting the teacher in the managing of challenging behaviour
• Clearing away materials after a lesson

To help gain more of an idea of the role have a read of A Day in the Life of a Teaching Assistant written by an actual TA.